The Glenferrie Oval precinct is one of the community's most loved sporting and community facilities. Over the coming years, we will make several improvements to allow for better community use of this historic precinct.

Some of the upcoming improvements include:

  • the demolition of the dilapidated Ferguson Stand
  • the creation of a new public open space (replacing the Ferguson Stand)
  • planning to refurbish the Michael Tuck Stand.

Status update

We recently asked for feedback on the draft landscape concept plan for the new open space that will be created by the demolition of the Ferguson Stand. 180 people provided feedback through completion of the consultation survey or joining a drop-in session.

We are currently reviewing the feedback and will share a report with the key findings, along with the final landscape concept plan in mid-2023.

Ferguson Stand demolition

Demolition of the Ferguson Stand will started in late April and is expected to be completed by mid-2023.

Removing the Ferguson Stand will provide approximately 500 metres squared of extra public open space.

The decision to remove the stand was made based on the building’s condition and community support to return this land to public open space. You can find out more about this on our Glenferrie Oval, Grace Park and L.E. Bray Reserve masterplan page.

For these works, we will create a fenced safety zone around the area which will include:

  • the 7 Hawthorn Community Garden plots closest to the stand
  • the area between the Weightlifting Centre and the railway line.

Pedestrian access between the Michael Tuck Stand and Weightlifting Centre will be maintained and access via the nearby rail underpass from Lynch Street will also remain open.

Following community feedback and discussions with the demolition contractor it has been decided the Auskick portable, including the toilets, will stay in their current location. Safety fencing has been installed to provide safe access for the Auskick community. The existing structure has been painted green to better blend in with the surrounding area.

The Auskick portable will remain in its current location until the club can be housed in the refurbished Tuck Stand.

Creating a new open space

Creating a new public open space is part of our commitment to delivering what’s important to you. This is outlined in our Boroondara Community Plan, which you can read on our Boroondara Community Plan 2021-31 page.

With this new open space, we are aiming to create:

  • a better visual connection and safer pedestrian access over the site of the former Ferguson Stand
  • more passive recreation and leisure opportunities for the community
  • an opportunity to reference some elements of the old Ferguson stand to celebrate the history of the Glenferrie Oval precinct.

Some important elements we had to consider when developing the draft landscape concept plan included:

  • providing a continuous Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant pathway, from the carpark down to the front of the weightlifting building
  • incorporating and protecting the significant Eucalyptus trees in the area
  • keeping the slope of the area to maintain the flood levy of Glenferrie Oval and support drainage
  • incorporating elements of the demolished Ferguson Stand to preserve its history.
Before: Before the Ferguson Stand is demolished, looking down on the old stand and surrounding area After: After the Ferguson Stand is demolished, looking down on a draft depiction of the new open space with a large pathway through it, central grassed areas, a plaza are and garden beds

Features in the draft landscape concept plan

The new draft landscape concept plan includes the following features:

  1. Bike parking
  2. Salvaged steel beams from the demolished Ferguson Stand, standing upright
  3. A grassed area for passive community recreation and leisure
  4. A continuous accessible pathway
  5. New trees (approx. 12) to complement the existing eucalyptus trees in the area
  6. A plaza area with informal seating
  7. New garden beds with a variety of plants.

All surface treatments are subject to change, based on community feedback, final budget review, authority approvals, and site conditions.

Draft landscape concept plan for the new open space area, showing the bike parking, salvaged steel beams, central grassed area, continuous accessible pathway, new trees near the weightlifting building, plaza area on the oval side and new garden beds surro
A hand-drawn sketch of the draft landscape concept plan proposed, showing the grassed area, accessible pathway, garden areas surrounding, and people enjoying the space.

A hand-drawn sketch of the draft landscape concept plan proposed.

Community garden update

As part of the new open space landscaping works, the 7 Hawthorn Community Garden plots which fall within the works zone will be removed. These plots need to be removed from this location to make way for the DDA accessible pathway to support the needs of the wider community. Due to the slope of this land, the pathway needs to run through this area to meet the required standards.

We are currently exploring options to replace these 7 plots on the opposite (western) end of the community garden, with any works subject to budget approvals. We will update the community once we have more details.